Society's Mindset: The only dirty part associated with periods

-Tanaya Santra, XII

Menstruation, a very natural, biological process a woman goes through, unfortunately, is not as naturally and openly talked about. Cultures around the world continue to stigmatize it and label it as ‘impure’, ‘dirty’ etc. 

In a society where we worship goddesses and have temples celebrating menstruation like Kamakhya Devi, the act of buying sanitary pads still feels both shameful and stigmatizing, which exacerbated when shopkeepers wrap them with whatever they can to conceal them. Purchasing a pack of cigarettes seems to be a far easier task. Also, you may have heard periods being referred to as "that time of the month" or  "woh din" and using the actual term, periods or menstruation, is often hushed or avoided.

The regressive belief and narrative of menstruation being ‘impure’ and ‘dirty’, explains the superstitions and numerous social, cultural and religious restrictions that women face during every cycle of their periods. These have been so normalised that even women pose restrictions on themselves, restraining themselves from entering the kitchen, participating in religious rituals etc and feel incessant shame talking about it. Lack of open conversation around it leaves young adolescent girls utterly unaware of the menstrual process until they experience their very first period.

A very tragic example of the stigma’s impact and such narrative is this heartbreaking incident, where a 36-year-old woman died by committing suicide because she was unable to participate in and perform rituals during the Navratri festival as she was menstruating during that time. This death gives a brutal reflection of how the belief of women being ‘impure’ during menstruation is deeply ingrained in the minds of the people that choosing death seemed easier to her than accepting the fact that menstruation is a natural part of life and has nothing to do with a woman's purity. 

These age-old ideas and practices are often defended in the name of our culture and tradition and are rarely criticized. Many people adhere to these beliefs without questioning their validity and origin. These beliefs stem from a long history of patriarchal conditioning rather than from culture or faith. The practice of women being asked not to enter the kitchen or religious places while menstruating, originated to help ensure women could rest during that time, as periods often brought discomfort and pain. Furthermore, the lack of access to sanitary products made it difficult for women to maintain proper hygiene, which further contributed to the need for such practices. 

However, over time, many societies have misinterpreted and misguidedly transformed these practices into superstition and viewed them through a lens of cultural taboos, diverting from their initial purpose of care. In contemporary society, with the availability of effective sanitary products and a better understanding of hygiene, these beliefs have begun to lose their relevance. Yet, many communities continue to uphold these outdated practices. Moreover, these taboos and restrictions reinforce existing gender inequality by limiting women from fully participating in society.

This event underscores the critical importance and urgent need of fostering open conversations about menstruation starting from home and school. The stigma creates avoidance of sex education- the absence of which, in schools, contributes significantly not only to the persistence of such regressive beliefs but also results in poor menstrual hygiene practices causing health complications in girls from a very young age, creating a cycle of a gap in awareness. This gap in education hinders the efforts to normalize discussions around menstrual health, minimizing the chances of breaking the cycle of stigma. As a result, many people continue to believe in these repressive ideas as facts and practice these restrictions without understanding their harmful effects on menstruating individuals and often refer to periods as illness. 

Are we free of taboos and superstitions? We still have a long journey ahead of us before achieving a world free of these regressive beliefs. It's time to leave behind these age-old narratives and break the cycle of shame and stigma. It's time we stop passing down shame under the guise of tradition. Let's question these beliefs instead of blindly adhering to them, and remind ourselves that periods are a natural part of our life for a society where no girl feels ashamed of her body and where no one makes them feel that way.